Antoinette McDowell's Obituary
Antoinette McDowell Obituary
June 22, 1947, was a beautiful summer day. It was the day ANTOINETTE GAYLORD MCDOWELL (affectionately called "Butchie" by family and friends) made her earthly arrival. She was the fourth child born to the holy union of Carl Amey and Lillian Gaylord. She spent her first 13 years in Burlington, New Jersey. She then moved to Argo, IL to be with her mother, stepfather Booker T. Haynes, and other siblings. She attended and graduated from Graves Jr. High and then Argo Community High School where she graduated in 1967.
ANTOINETTE met and married the love of her life, James C. McDowell, on July r, 1967. On July 1, 2025, she and James would have celebrated 58 years of marriage. To this union 4 children were born: Veronica, James Jr., Leonard ("LJ"), and Ashley. Antoinette loved her family and loved being a wife, mother, and homemaker. She held various jobs during her life, but she recognized that her heart was in taking care of her family, and she did it extremely well. She enjoyed family get-togethers and barbecues where she loved playing her favorite card games, Pokeno, bingo and pitty-pat.
ANTOINETTE accepted Christ and became a believer in Christ Jesus when she attended a woman's conference in Milwaukee, WI. Preceding her in death is her infant daughter, Ashley; her parents, Lillian and Carl Amey Gaylord; her sister, Carlita Brown; and her brothers, Carl Jr., John, and Barry Gaylord.
On the afternoon on Monday, February 17, 2025; God whispered her name and Antoinette slipped quietly away for her heavenly home.
ANTOINETTE leaves to cherish her memories her loving husband James; her beautiful children Veronica (Frank), James Jr., and Leonard (Alexis) and her pride and joy grandchildren Cosby and Selah McDowell; her four sisters; Kitty Gilbert (Sam); Ramona Moore (Clarence); Denise Gaylord; Lenise Amey; and one brother Wendell Amey; her mother-in-law Vera McDowell and brother-in-law Charles McDowell. She also leaves her faithful pet, Dash; godson Kendall Gilbert; and her special cousin and close friend, Pamela Marks; an abundance of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends
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